Gone are the days of plugging our headphones into a walkman and listening to the same CD over and over again.

Thanks to the Internet, we now plug into our phones and have millions of options at our fingertips. Platforms like Spotify and Apple Music have a range of songs — and podcasts — to choose from. 

Because of the rise of podcasting, its importance in digital marketing has skyrocketed.

Here are five ways how podcasting can elevate your brand:

1. It can help you reach a new audience

This medium can promote your brand and help you get discovered by people all over the world via platforms such as the iTunes store, Spotify and other podcasting libraries.

You will also be able to reach your audience on-the-go. Your audience can’t read your blog posts while driving or running — at least not safely. Podcasts are ideal, portable and convenient because people can listen to them while they are going about their daily activities 

They can help in building familiarity with your audience. This is because listeners usually subscribe to a series of podcasts and regularly listen to them. As long as the audio series continues, it is likely that your audience will keep listening.  

Your audience might even recommend your series to others who may be interested in it, and this will enable your reach to constantly increase.

2. Podcasts help you build a relationship with your audience

Even though podcasts are a one-sided medium, they can help build an effective relationship with your audience. People listen to them because they have something in common with the host or the brand that the speaker is representing. 

This means that when listeners engage regularly with a person on a podcast, it gives them a feeling of familiarity (like they know the person who is speaking). 

This kind of ‘relationship’ helps build trust between the podcaster and the audience, and subsequently, the brand and its consumers. This then leads to an improved conversation between the brand and the audience, which, in turn, will improve the performance of the brand — people are more likely to buy something from a friend than a stranger.

3. It sets you apart from your competition 

It is very likely that your brand is up against some big competition in your industry. And with every industry becoming more saturated by the day, it is harder than ever to stand out and reach people that are important.

Now compare the number of brands in your industry to the number of brands that are creating podcasts — the number suddenly drops. So by doing one simple thing (creating a podcast), you are already differentiating yourself from your competition, giving your business a leg up on the rest of the brands in your industry. 

For example, The Growth Show is a Hubspot series that sees its CMO sit down with industry experts who have experienced remarkable growth of their business in their industry. The show offers candid and insightful interviews that uncover ways that will help you fuel growth in your brand. 

This podcast is great for marketers or business owners who want to grow their business or get ideas for their brand. This is exactly the audience Hubspot is trying to attract as it is a company offers marketing, sales and service software that helps your business to grow ‘without compromise’.

4. Podcasts create lead generation

When someone listens to a podcast, you have their full attention. Unlike blogs, you can’t skim-read it. Instead, people tend to listen from start to finish. This means that you have the opportunity to promote your brand to people who are actually listening. 

Research by the Interactive Advertising Bureau found that two-thirds of listeners take action after listening to a podcast that promoted a brand. This includes listeners visiting the brand’s website and making a purchase. 

It is a good idea to end your episode with a call to action because it will stick in your listeners' minds and could lead to more people visiting your website — therefore becoming a source of lead generation. 

5. It establishes thought leadership

Establishing authority, expertise and credibility through content is a key part of a brand’s marketing because publishing insightful, knowledgeable and engaging content elevates your brand’s reputation. This will also make you the go-to person for particular topics.

Podcasts are a great way to establish this authority and expertise and are a great addition to your thought leadership strategy. Listeners will start to listen just to hear what you have to say and what information you are going to share. 

Sharing personal stories, experiences and insights into your industry will automatically boost your credibility as an industry. 

By becoming an industry leader, the trust between you and your audience will grow and therefore trust in your brand will increase. This also means that when you do promote your brand with the use of this medium, listeners will trust your judgment and be more willing to buy your brand’s products or services. 

How else do you think podcasts can elevate your brand? Let us know in the comments section below.

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Now that you have been convinced that your brand absolutely needs to add podcasts to its digital marketing strategy, why not make the best, high-quality series you can with The ultimate guide to creating high-quality podcasts.
*Image courtesy of Vecteezy